mary townley loop tomorrow

scottgeniusltd2005

well, i didn't think i was ready for it, but, the other day set off on it and went the opposite way to where i normally go, ended up doing nearly half and wasn't even tired. so, tomorrow morning i'm going to attempt the full lot. the miles of road riding must have paid off. which is the best way to do it, clockwise or counter clockwise? going to be starting off at cowpe i think, maybe but if the other way is better then start at the memorial stone. wish me luck. anyone fancy it?

stumpyjon

I'd do it clockwise and probably start around Waterfoot to get the gates out of the way to start with. Does mean you end up with Rooley Moor road at the end though. How long do you think it will take you?

I did it in 7hrs 50mins last year on the challenge (ground was really boggy in places though) and came middle of the field.

Good luck, it's a tough old route to do in a day.

scottgeniusltd2005

thanks, yeah the gates are a bit of a pain but may be useful to disguise my tired legs from the sheep. i think it may take me about 8 to 9 hours, maybe longer. yeah, top of leach maybe a good thing to get out of the way early on. also if i start that way it means that i will be nearer home, loveclough, if i need to bail early. but i am very very determined to complete no matter how long.

scottgeniusltd2005

well i did it!!!! anti clockwise, won't do it that way again, 9.30am to 6.30pm. slow but i did it!!!!

solo no cheats, no off's, rode 3 miles to start then 3 miles back home after finish. it is the hardest thing i have done in my life and i was in the army for 3 1/2 years.

i reckon next time i will knock off minimum 2 hrs just by going clockwise.

marcaudsley

Well done mate. Really good going.
I did it last year on the challenge and it took me 10hrs!!
hardest f......g thing ive done too.
Gonna try it again soon on my new full suss. Last time was on my h/tail and nearly shook me to bits.

scottgeniusltd2005

ooooowwwwwww rooley rd on a hardtail, bet you was tender for a while after that

trio25

Hey there, small world! I hardly ever come on here usually.

I did a write up of my clockwise loop here
http://trio25.blogspot.com/2009/05/mary-townley-loop.html

I think we did it the right way, but I will be back to do it anti-clockwise as well, I think you should always try things both ways!

We took 8 hours in total but that included a nice long pub stops and two picnic stops, oh and one detour off the route by accident so we had to retrace our tracks. Riding time was just under 6 hours. Not sure I could get it much faster though. In total it was 11 hours with the ride to and from where we started.

stumpyjon

Well done, takes some stamina to do that on your own. Told you it was better clockwise, althoug that does mean coming up Rooley Moor raod .

The challenge for this year will be Sunday 13th of September (and I hope to God it's drier than last year).

scottgeniusltd2005

great, i will do that one too. that means by end of year i will have done 3 times. maybe in the winter as well to knock it up to 4 before year end. has been a massive confidence booster. going to bash in plenty of off rd miles now it's drying out.

scottgeniusltd2005

coming down rooley rd is not much fun either, shakes your eyeballs loose, at one point i was going on to the verge for a rest from the shaking

stumpyjon

The bit coming coming down under Stoodley Pike is pretty bumpy too if you do it clockwise, whipped past a couple of lads on hardtails last year, looked like they were in real pain .

scottgeniusltd2005

i was that buggered that my favorite track, gorple rd was just about enjoyable, however i did see the new bridleway entry point, it's at the second gate up from the bottom of gorple

marcaudsley

Yeah i was tender...and crying too!! I had to walk quite a bit of rooley rd cos i was so sore
I've now got a Trek EX8 so will do it again this year!!
Bring on the pain

paulrockliffe

Anyone know if the results from three or four years are available anywhere? I did it for a laugh and thought I'd done it in 3.57 but want to check as I'm probably going to do it again this year.

Cheers

stumpyjon

I think you'd know if you'd done in 3:57, you'd have probably been first over the line, 7:53 sounds more realistic .

stumpyjon

Arghhhhhh... I've just discovered this year's challenge is to be ANTICLOCKWISE :shock:

http://www.rpmrt.org.uk/eventdetail.php?EventID=5

trio25

Interesting as I would like to try it anti-clockwise!

scottgeniusltd2005

stumpyjon wrote:

Arghhhhhh... I've just discovered this year's challenge is to be ANTICLOCKWISE :shock:

http://www.rpmrt.org.uk/eventdetail.php?EventID=5

hahahahahahhahahhahahahhahaahhhahahahahhahahahaahahahaahahahahaahahaah :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

hey trio,
been reading yours n freddies blogs, eeeh you're keen. i am going ss the sooner the better. going to order a tensioner this week.
i washed my bike 3 hrs in total, stripped down, oiled, check shock pressures front n back. went out this pm, not just a fair weatherer you know, bloody gears caked up again. this has been a problem off rd this year, so you inspired me, ss it is!!! cheers girl!

i'm booked on a ride on the 17th a day before my 40th, so aches n pains for the big 40.lol. clockwise this time. if you want i am willing to go anti clockwise again, but you'd have to be gentle. maybe july ish?

ps

say well done to OH, i like watching L.M on tv

scottgeniusltd2005

scottgeniusltd2005 wrote:

great, i will do that one too. that means by end of year i will have done 3 times. maybe in the winter as well to knock it up to 4 before year end. has been a massive confidence booster. going to bash in plenty of off rd miles now it's drying out.

spoke too soon didn't i?

trio25

Yes Ali did really well, I'll pass on your good wishes.

I'm a bike nut that is true! Only been into it like this since jan 2008 - got ill in Nov 2007 and this was my recovery, before that I had about a year and a half of riding a couple of times a month.

Can't do the 17th or I might have joined you, I do too much riding on my own as all my riding buddies like miles away, as I want to do the race at lee quarry again. But later in the summer could be good.

Can you clean my bike please? It is looking a little muddy!

I got a singlespeed for the winter and now just love it. really gets you strong. Took me a while to get up hills like I can now and still walk some I can get up in granny ring!

scottgeniusltd2005

the 17th is being run by lcc. only 12 places. don't know how different it will be. but looking to going round with company. i'm hoping i don't have too many problems on conversion to ss, seems pretty straightforward, no doubt it won't be,lol. good luck in your race. i go to lee quarry regularly now, i only live 3 miles away but the route i take is 7 miles on tar. ever need a riding buddy up there gimme a shout.

trio25

Race went well. There were only three of us on singlespeeds but the only hill I walked seemed to have all the geared riders walking as well.

LCC?

scottgeniusltd2005

lancs county council


sorry i thought you meant an upcoming race not a previous race. tbh most of the hills in lee quarry are quicker to walk up anyway, even faster to run up. the only reasons to grind up is dignity and pride.

trio25

Race was yesterday. There two more in the series. Highly recommended. It was my first xc race and I'll be back for more pain!

stumpyjon

stumpyjon wrote:

Arghhhhhh... I've just discovered this year's challenge is to be ANTICLOCKWISE :shock:

I've been thinking about this. Going clockwise works well at the start. You leave the school at the start to go up half a mile of reasonably quiet residential road before you hit a natural bottleneck at the start of the singletrack. It's not great from a racing perspective but it does spread the field out and keep us off the roads. Going anitclockwise from the school is going to put 200 racing riders into the middle of the traffic in Waterfoot crossing a fairly busy road. I foresee potential carnage. I wonder if the mountain rescue have thought this through (plus the first hill you hit is a nightmare, long steep, rutted and loose, not fun at the start of 47 miles :evil: ).